Incapacity Benefit (Hansard, 31 July 1997)

§ Mr. Denham

The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Peter Mathison the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Bob Blizzard, dated 31 July 1997: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what guidance has been given to doctors employed by the Benefits Agency to determine whether claimants are entitled to continue receiving incapacity Benefit (IB). It may be helpful if I first explain that doctors employed by the Benefits Agency do not determine entitlement to IB. Entitlement to IB is decided by Adjudication Officers (AOs) who consider all the evidence available, including reports from medical examinations. Doctors who conduct examinations in connection with IB are required to undergo a four day modular training course which can be tailored to meet individual needs. Elements of the course include the technical aspects of IB, the requirements for the content of the medical report form, selecting and justifying the choice of descriptors which specify the level of a customer's disability in each functional area, and mental health problems. The course includes elements of training on customer services and equal opportunities. Following initial training, the first three assessments carried out by the Benefits Agency Medical Services (BAMS) doctor are monitored, and each must reach a satisfactory standard for the doctor to be approved to carry out future IB assessments. The work of all doctors is monitored subsequently by BAMS. This takes the form of random or targeted studies of completed reports, and is also carried out in response to any work returned by Adjudication Officers which is considered to be of an unsatisfactory standard. There is an ongoing training programme which ensures that doctors are kept informed of any developments in this areas of work. In addition, all full time BAMS doctors have to undergo a two day residential course covering the clinical areas they are likely to encounter, such as back pain and psychiatric disorders, as well as those likely to cause particular difficulties, such as chronic fatigue states. Many of the sessions in these courses are conducted by internationally recognised experts in their fields. In addition to the training, all doctors are issued with a copy of the "IB Handbook for Medical Services Doctors", which acts as an aide memoir. A copy of this publication is available in the Library of the House of Commons. I hope you find this reply helpful.